Pierre Georges Rousseau was born June 3, 1751 in La Tremblade, in the province of Saintonge, France, son of Pierre Georges Rousseau—a sea captain—and Marie Estelle Daniaud. Pierre's mother died when he was quite young and his father, Captain Rousseau, brought his sons to America—probably to Virginia or South Carolina, where Rousseau had relatives. As a teenager, Rousseau moved with his father to New Orleans, where he was living at the outbreak of the American Revolution. Early in the Revolution, Pierre Rousseau—then only 25—sought and received a commission of Lieutenant in the Continental Navy.
In 1779, General Washington ordered Lt. Rousseau to go to Louisiana. Anglo-American businessman Oliver Pollock had been working with the Continental Congress to build an American force in New Orleans. Pollock had been working with the Governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, to supply American troops through the port of New Orleans and to build ships for the American Navy. Spain had been secretly assisting the American cause since 1776 and declared war on Britain in 1779. In Louisiana, Lt. Rousseau joined Captain William Pickles on an assignment to capture the British vessel West Florida, which was creating havoc with coastal shipping and in Lake Pontchartrain. On September 10, 1779, the West Florida was sighted in Lake Pontchartrain off the coast of present-day Mandeville. At one in the afternoon, Pickles engaged the West Florida, and Lt. Rousseau and his men boarded the vessel. After the ensuing fight, the British surrendered to Rousseau, who took the captured boat to a fort at the mouth of Bayou St. John.
In early 1780, Rousseau, now promoted to Captain, commanded the Galveztown which was part of the Spainish fleet that attacked Mobile. In 1781, the Galveztown, still under Rousseau's command sailed into the bay at Pensacola with Galvez and his army on board. The subsequent defeat of the British fort there ended British control of Florida.
Following the Revolution, Rousseau settled in New Orleans where he married and raised a large family. He died there on August 8, 1810.
In 1779, General Washington ordered Lt. Rousseau to go to Louisiana. Anglo-American businessman Oliver Pollock had been working with the Continental Congress to build an American force in New Orleans. Pollock had been working with the Governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, to supply American troops through the port of New Orleans and to build ships for the American Navy. Spain had been secretly assisting the American cause since 1776 and declared war on Britain in 1779. In Louisiana, Lt. Rousseau joined Captain William Pickles on an assignment to capture the British vessel West Florida, which was creating havoc with coastal shipping and in Lake Pontchartrain. On September 10, 1779, the West Florida was sighted in Lake Pontchartrain off the coast of present-day Mandeville. At one in the afternoon, Pickles engaged the West Florida, and Lt. Rousseau and his men boarded the vessel. After the ensuing fight, the British surrendered to Rousseau, who took the captured boat to a fort at the mouth of Bayou St. John.
In early 1780, Rousseau, now promoted to Captain, commanded the Galveztown which was part of the Spainish fleet that attacked Mobile. In 1781, the Galveztown, still under Rousseau's command sailed into the bay at Pensacola with Galvez and his army on board. The subsequent defeat of the British fort there ended British control of Florida.
Following the Revolution, Rousseau settled in New Orleans where he married and raised a large family. He died there on August 8, 1810.
Pierre Georges Rousseau was born June 3, 1751 in La Tremblade, in the province of Saintonge, France, son of Pierre Georges Rousseau—a sea captain—and Marie Estelle Daniaud. Pierre's mother died when he was quite young and his father, Captain Rousseau, brought his sons to America—probably to Virginia or South Carolina, where Rousseau had relatives. As a teenager, Rousseau moved with his father to New Orleans, where he was living at the outbreak of the American Revolution. Early in the Revolution, Pierre Rousseau—then only 25—sought and received a commission of Lieutenant in the Continental Navy.
In 1779, General Washington ordered Lt. Rousseau to go to Louisiana. Anglo-American businessman Oliver Pollock had been working with the Continental Congress to build an American force in New Orleans. Pollock had been working with the Governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, to supply American troops through the port of New Orleans and to build ships for the American Navy. Spain had been secretly assisting the American cause since 1776 and declared war on Britain in 1779. In Louisiana, Lt. Rousseau joined Captain William Pickles on an assignment to capture the British vessel West Florida, which was creating havoc with coastal shipping and in Lake Pontchartrain. On September 10, 1779, the West Florida was sighted in Lake Pontchartrain off the coast of present-day Mandeville. At one in the afternoon, Pickles engaged the West Florida, and Lt. Rousseau and his men boarded the vessel. After the ensuing fight, the British surrendered to Rousseau, who took the captured boat to a fort at the mouth of Bayou St. John.
In early 1780, Rousseau, now promoted to Captain, commanded the Galveztown which was part of the Spainish fleet that attacked Mobile. In 1781, the Galveztown, still under Rousseau's command sailed into the bay at Pensacola with Galvez and his army on board. The subsequent defeat of the British fort there ended British control of Florida.
Following the Revolution, Rousseau settled in New Orleans where he married and raised a large family. He died there on August 8, 1810.
In 1779, General Washington ordered Lt. Rousseau to go to Louisiana. Anglo-American businessman Oliver Pollock had been working with the Continental Congress to build an American force in New Orleans. Pollock had been working with the Governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, to supply American troops through the port of New Orleans and to build ships for the American Navy. Spain had been secretly assisting the American cause since 1776 and declared war on Britain in 1779. In Louisiana, Lt. Rousseau joined Captain William Pickles on an assignment to capture the British vessel West Florida, which was creating havoc with coastal shipping and in Lake Pontchartrain. On September 10, 1779, the West Florida was sighted in Lake Pontchartrain off the coast of present-day Mandeville. At one in the afternoon, Pickles engaged the West Florida, and Lt. Rousseau and his men boarded the vessel. After the ensuing fight, the British surrendered to Rousseau, who took the captured boat to a fort at the mouth of Bayou St. John.
In early 1780, Rousseau, now promoted to Captain, commanded the Galveztown which was part of the Spainish fleet that attacked Mobile. In 1781, the Galveztown, still under Rousseau's command sailed into the bay at Pensacola with Galvez and his army on board. The subsequent defeat of the British fort there ended British control of Florida.
Following the Revolution, Rousseau settled in New Orleans where he married and raised a large family. He died there on August 8, 1810.
